Firearm



C. A. NELSON.

FIREARM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 25, I920- 1,37@,36; Paton Mar. 8, 1921.

2 SHEETS-*SHEET l.

' ATTORNEY C. A. NELSON.

HREARM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 25,1920.

mm aae 7 mm Mar. 8, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- mil INVENTOR BY M w WWW M e A TTOR/VEY CHARLES A. NELSON, OF U'I'ICA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO SAVAGE ARMS CORPORA- TION, 0F UTICA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

FIREARM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 8, 1921.

Application filed March 25, 1920. Serial No. 868,500.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. NELSON, a citizen of the United States of America, and residing in the city of Utica, county of Oneida, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Firearms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to take-down guns, especially to repeating guns in which there is a magazine tube parallel with the barrel which performs the functions of the locking member as well as the functions of the magazine and which carries a sliding grlp or action handle for actuating the breech mechanism.

The objects of my invention are to provide novel and improved mechanism whereby the magazine tube or other similar barrel locking member may be readily moved from its locking to its unlocking position and vice versa, whereby it is simply lockedin each of these positions, whereby the action handle is held in a forward position when the gun is taken down, whereby in taking down the gun the mechanism is necessarily though quite naturally manipulated in a certain sequence which leaves the parts in the proper positions for reassembly, and whereby the magazine tube is simply though firmly carried by the barrel. These and other features that will be apparent to those skilled in this art are also provided by this invention.

In the two sheets of drawings which illustrate the best embodiment of my invention of which I am now aware; Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of the barrel part of the firearm in place in the receiver. Fig. 2 is a similar figure of the same device showing the magazine separated from the receiver but with the barrel still in place therein. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line l4: of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the barrel section of the gun, this section being entirely separated from the receiver. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the forward end of the receiver. Fig. 7 is an elevatlon of the rear end of the barrel clip. Fig. 8 is an elevation of the forward end of the magazine tube showing, particularly, a part of the locking means therefor. Fig. 9 1s a detail view of themagazine lever'and its cooperatm mechanism, and Fi 10 is another detail.

he forward end 0 the receiver of the arm illustrated is shown at 1; the hammer, breech:bolt, cartridge carrier and various cooperating and other mechanism of the arm are contained within the receiver as will be readily understood. 2 is the barrel carr ng the magazine tube 3. Screw-threaded into the forward end of the receiver is the ordinary compensating nut provided interiorly with mutilated screw threads 4 for engaging similar mutilated threads 5 onthe rear end of the barrel. These screw threads are dlsposed in quite the common manner, viz., there are two sets of threads on the barrel diametrically opposite each other and each extends substantially one-quarter of the way around the barrel; the screw threads of the receiver correspond. Accordingly it follows that the barrel may be attached to the recelver by two movements, first by straight insertion, the two sets of threads on the barrel passing between the two sets of threads on the receiver, and then by a quarter turn of the barrel with respect to the receiver whereby the threads on the two parts are engaged. In the receiver and immediately below the opening thereof for the reception of the barrel-2, there is provided a second opening for receiving the rear end of the magazine tube 3. This opening in the receiver and the rear end of the magazine tube 3 are also provided, with mutilated screw threads for locking the magazine tube to the receiver in substantially the same manner as the barrel is locked to the receiver. The groups of magazinetube threads are however, in the instance illustrated, disposed substantially at right angles to the groups of threads of the barrel; that is, when the barrel is locked in the receiver, its threads are at the top and the bottom thereof, whereas when the magazine tube is locked to the receiver its threads are opposite the sides ofthe receiver; however, substantially any other arrangement is suitable for my invention. To the rear end of the barrel is attached the barrel clip 6; in the present instance this clip is screw-threaded to the barrel. The lower part of this clip receives the rear end of the magazine tube 3 and is considerably longer than the part receiving the barrel, its required length being indicated hereinafter. Before proceeding farther it is well to note that the ma azine tube 3 is the means for locking the arrel 2 in the receiver. When the magazine tube is seated in the receiver it prevents the rotation of the barrel 2 to its unlocking position. To remove the barrel, the tube 3 must first be rotated a quarter turn (from its position in Fig. 1) and then moved longitudinally forward until its rear end leaves the receiver 1 though still contained in the clip 6. Thereafter the whole barrel part, including the barrel, magazine tube and barrel clip, may be rotated to release the barrel from the receiver (presuming that the action bar, if there is one as later described, has also been withdrawn from the receiver).

Surrounding and sliding on the magazine tube 3 is the action handle or grip 7 by which the gum is operated. This actlon handle comprises a main metallic sleeve or tube section 8 and a supplementary metallic tube section 9 united in such manner as to provide an internal ringor collar 10, the forward face of which forms a shoulder 10 and the rearward face a shoulder 16, both within the grip. These united shells or tubes form the frame of the handle, being covered with a cylinder 12 of wood or other suitable material, grooved to provide a grlp surface. The handle section 9 is fixed to or formed integrally with the action bar 11, which, as Wlll be understood, extends rearwardly through the hole 48 in clip 6 and into the receiver 1 for operating the mechanism contained therein. A collar 15 is fixed on the magazine tube 3 for engagement with the shoulder 10 to limit the forward movement of the handle on the tube and a lug 17 is also provided on the magazine tube to engage the shoulder 16. The collar 15 and the lug 17 are adapted to receive the ring 10 of the handle between them with a fairly snug fit, and the ring 10 is formed with a longitudinal slot 20 which is so disposed that when the magazine tube is locked into the receiver, that is, has been rotated to its final locking position, the lug 17 registers with the slot 20 as seen in Fig. 1. In this position, which is the normal working position of the gun, the action handle 7 may be moved back and forward on the magazine tube, the slot 20 passing over the lug 17. If, however, the magazine tube 3 be rotated to carry the lug 17 out of register with the slot and opposite the shoulder 16, as shown in Fig. 2 the action handle 7 is then locked in its longitudinal position on the magazine tube 3. Such rotation -occurs as the first step in disassembling the gun, to release the threads of the magazine tube from those on the receiver, and by thus locking the tube to the handle the latter may be used to withdraw the tube from and reenter it in the receiver, as though the two parts were one. It will be obvious that, by simple reversal,

the lug 17 could be carried by the handle and the slot 20 by the tube, if desired, and provide the same functions. The ma azine tube is-slidingly mounted at its rear 1n the clip 6, as above stated, and at its front in the assembly clip 24 fastened to the gun'barrel, and a lug 23 formed on the magazine tube engages with the rear end of this assembly clip to limit the forward or withdrawing movement of the magazine tube as indicated by Fig. 2 which shows the handle in its forward position on the tube and the tube in its forward position on the barrel. The assembly clip 24 is a circular band embracing the tube and provided with a dovetail 26 engaging a dove-tail slot 27 fixed transversely on the gun barrel. The dovetail and its slot are correspondingly tapered, and a headed screw 28 is threaded into the small end of the dove-tail 26 with its head engaging the corresponding end of the dovetail slot so that by tightening the screw the parts are firmly seated and united. The assembly clip 24 coacts with the magazine tube to compel a predetermined and proper sequence of steps in taking the gun down. For this purpose it is provided at its forward edge with two integral and forwardly projecting shoulders 31 and 32 and with a notch 33 adjacent the first of these shoulders. The magazine lever 36 by which the magazine tube may be rotated, is pivoted at 38 in the forward end of the magazine tube, and provided with a spring-detent 39 to retain it in its extreme angular positions in one of which it is transverse to the tube and in the other parallel to it and pressed against it as indicated by the dotted and full lines in Fig. 1. When the gun is assembled and the lever is brought to the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 9, a part of the lever near its pivot enters within the notch 33 of the clip and thereby prevents rotation of the tube until the lever is opened or swung toa transverse position. The opening of the magazine lever is thus the first step in rotating the tube to unlock it. WVhen thus opened its heel 37 swings through the notch 33 to the position shown in Fig. 8 where it coacts with the lug 32 to limit the opening rotation of the tube and with the lug 31 to limit its reverse rotation. The extent of such rotation is sufficient to engage and disengage the threads of the tube with those of the receiver, and it will be observed that the overhanging of the heel above the edge of the clip obstructs the closing of the lever unless the tube is screwed fully home, so that the heel may enter the notch 33.

The assembly clip 24 is also provided with a longitudinal spline groove 40 (Fig. 4) to engage a corresponding spline 41 on the magazine tube 3 (see also dotted lines of Fig. 1). This anti-rotation locking arrangement permits of a simple construction; for example, on the part of the magazine, the tube may be of drawn steel from which the spline is raised by a simple pressing operation. This spline is so dis osed on the tube 3 that when the latter is in its locking position (Fig. 1) the spline is a quarter turn displaced from the spline groove 40, but when the tube 3 is rotated to unlock 1t from the threads of the receiver (to' the extent limited by the abutment of 37 upon 32,) the spline 41 registers with its groove. The tube being then moved forwardly, the spline will enter its groove and its length substantially equals the forward traverse of the tube so that so lon as the tube is forward it can not be rotate Thus the take down action de ends on three successive manipulations w ich can only be performed in a single sequence. First, the lever 36 must be opened, the tube must then be turned, and then withdrawn from the receiver. These manipulations can be carried on in no other sequence for the withdrawal of the tube depends on its rotation and its rotation depends on its being released by the lever. In the reassembly the sequence is reversed, the spline prevents tube rotation until the tube is fully inserted in the receiver and the lever can not be closed against the tube until the tube is fully screwed into the receiver.

Figs. 6 and 7 show, respectively, the forward end of the receiver 1 and the rear end of the barrel clip 6 as to which it may be noted that the opening 48 in the barrel clip registers with the hole 47 in the receiver these being for the passage of the action rod 11 as will be understood. The screw 49 secures the key 50 which looks the compensating nut which carries the mutilated threads 4 of the receiver above referred to. A curved slot 52 in the rear face of the barrel clip 6 provides clearance for the head of the screw 49 as the barrel is placed in the receiver.

The operation of the gun is as follows: Starting with the fully assembled position shown in Fig. 1, it will be understood that the magazine tube 3 carries a supply of cartridges and that suitable mechanism forces these cartridges to the rear as the receiver mechanism will accept them. After the gun is fired, the action handle 7 is moved to the rear carrying the action bar 11 therewith; this in its turn causes the used shell to be ejected and the hammer cocked. The return of the action handle 7 forward causes a fresh cartridge to be placed in the barrel and the receiver mechanism returned to the firing position. In this movement of the handle, as before pointed out, the slot 20 in the ring 10 within said handle passes over the lug 17 on the tube and this relation is preserved-as long as the tube is in its full home position in the receiver. The slightest reverse rotation of the tube will carry the lug 17 out of registry with the slot 20 and thereby obstruct the movement of the action handle and thus give notice of the incomplete assembly; as long as the lever 36 is closed into the notch 33 such reverse rotation is prevented and the parts will function as described. Now if the gun is to be taken down the lever 36 is first opened to the transverse position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. This withdraws the lever from the notch 33 and allows rotation of the magazine tube. Using the lever 36 as a handle, the tube 3 is then rotated until the now projecting heel 37 strikes the rotation limiting shoulder 32 on the assembly clip 24. The length of the lever 36 provides ample leverage for unscrewin the tube and the shoulder 32 stops it only when the mutilated threads are fully disen aged. Coincidently with such rotation of t e magazine the'lug 17 is disalined with the slot 20 and thereby locks the action handle 7 to the tube 3 as before pointed out, so that by grasping the lever 36 or action handle 7 both may now be pushed forwardly until the lug 23 strikes the assembly clip 24. This withdraws the action bar from the receiver, the said lu 23 being so located as to engage the clip ust after the rear end of the bar leaves the opening 47 in the receiver. Accordingl the rear end ofthe action bar is left stand ing in the hole 48 and the tube in the barrel cli 6. The same forward motion enters the sp ine in its spline groove as above explained so that the tube is susceptible of no further rotary movement. The lever 36 may now be swung from its open position (shown in dotted lines in F i2. 2) until it again lies against or along the tube 3. The levers length equals or is slightly greater than the longitudinal traverse of the tube 3 so that when in this position, with the tube forward, its free end engages the forward edge of the assembly clip 24 and thereby positively obstructs the return of the magazine tube rearwardl The detentspring urges the lever against the tube and thus holds it in this obstructing position. With the magazine tube thus forward the barrel may be removed from the receiver by a quarter turn of the whole barrel part or section of the arm, as above explained. To reassemble the gun the reverse sequence is followed; that is, the barrel is first seated in the receiver, then 36 is opened, the magazine moved longitudinally into the receiver, then rotated until the lever projection 37 strikes the rotation limiting shoulder 31 and finally the lever 36 is closed.

While I have thus illustrated and described the best embodiment of my invention of which I am now aware, it will be understood that this embodiment is merely illustrative and that my invention is not I limited thereto, but includes various modifications and alterations in the shape, arrangement and relative positions of the several parts and reversals and substitutes thereof within the meaning of the following claims.

Claims.

'1. A take-down gun comprising a receiver, a barrel, a magazine tube parallel with the barrel and rotatable and slidable longitudinally with respect to the barrel to unlock the latter, an assembly clip embracing the magazine and carrying the same on the barrel, and an action handle normally slidable on the magazine tube, combined with means operable by the unlocking rotation of said tube to prevent the sliding of the handle with respect to the tube, a spline projecting from and extending'longitudinally of the magazine tube. and a longitudinal groove in the assembly clip to receive the spline when the magazine tube is rotated and moved longitudinally to unlock the barrel, whereby the action handle is held from sliding on the magazine tube and the tube is held against rotation until said tube is returned longitudinally to its locking position.

2. A take-down gun comprising a receiver, a barrel, a barrel locking magazine tube rotatable in the act of unlocking the barrel and an assembly clip embracing the magazine and aflixed to the barrel, the assembly clip having rotation limiting shoulders on an edge thereof and a notch, and the magazine tube having an element movable into and from the notch to prevent the rotation of the tube and also adapted to abut against said rotation limiting shoulders to limit the rotary movement of the tube.

3. A take-down gun comprising a receiver, a barrel, a barrel locking magazine tube rotatable less than a complete turn to unlock the barrel, an assembly clip uniting the magazine and barrel, said clip having rotation limiting shoulders on its forward edge and a notch. and a lever pivoted to the magazine and adapted to enter said notch when the lever is closed and adapted also to engage with said rotation limiting shoulders to limit the rotary movement of the tube when the lever is opened.

4;. A take-down gun comprising a receiver, a barrel, a barrel-locking member parallel therewith and rotatable in the act of unlocking the barrel, and a fixed member on the barrel extending over said parallel member, the fixed member having rotation limiting shoulders on an edge thereof and a notch, and the locking member having an element movable into and from the notch to prevent the rotation of the tube and adapted to abut said rotation limiting shoulders to limit the rotary movement of the locking member.

5. A gun as described in claim 2 in which the barrel is completely unlocked by sliding the magazine tube longitudinally after the rotation thereof, further characterized by the free endof the lever engaging the clip when the magazine tube has been moved longitudinally to its unlocking position and the lever has been closed to hold the magazine tube in such position.

6. A takedown gun comprising a receiver, a barrel, a magazine tube on the barrel and rotatable and slidable longitudinally to unlock the barrel, an assembly clip fixed to the barrel and embracing the magazine tube. said assembly clip havin rotation limiting shoulders on its forward edge and a notch adjacent one of the shoulders, an action handle normally slidable on the magazine tube, and means operable by the unlocking rotation of said tube to prevent the sliding of the handle with respect to the. tube, 1n combination with means operable after the tube is rotated and moved longitudinally to unlock the barrel, to hold the tube against rotation until the tube is returned to its locking position, and means on the magazine tube movable into and from said notch to prevent the rotation of the tube and adapted to engage with said rotation limiting shoulders to limit the rotary movement of the tube.

7. A take-down gun comprising a receiver, a barrel, a magazine tube parallel therewith and rotatable and slidable longitudinally with respect to the barrel to unlock the latter, an assembly clip fixed to the barrel and embracing the'tube and having a spline and groove connection with the tube whereby when the tube is rotated and moved longitudinally to unlock the barrel the tube is held against rotation until returned longitudinally to its locking position and also having rotation limiting shoulders on its forward edge and a notch adjacent one of the shoulders, and a lever pivoted to the magazine and having a part to lay in said notch when the lever is closed and adapted to engage the said rotation limiting shoulders to limit the rotary movement of the tube when the lever is open, the free end of the lever engaging the clip when the magazine has been moved longitudinally to its unlocking position and the lever is depressed, to hold the magazine tube in such position.

8. A take-down firearm comprising a receiver, a barrel, a barrel locking magazine tube rotatable and slidable longitudinally to lock and unlock the barrel, means fixed to the barrel embracing the tube and providing fixed rotation limiting shoulders, means on the tube to abut said shoulders to limit the rotation of the tube and in combination with a spline and groove connection between the first mentioned means and the tube to prevent the rotation of the tube when the tube is displaced longitudinally from its lockin position. 7.

9. A take-down firearm comprising a receiver, a barrel, a barrel locking magazine tube rotatable and slidable longitudinally to lock and unlock the barrel, means fixed to the barrel embracing the tube and providing fixed rotation limiting shoulders, means on the tube to abut said shoulders to limit the rotation of the tube, and releasable means to prevent the rotation of the tube from its locking position, in combination with a spline and groove connection between the first mentioned means and the tube to prevent the rotation of the tube when the tube is displaced longitudinally from its locking position.

10. A take-down firearm comprising a receiver, a barrel, a barrel locking magazine tube rotatable and slidable longitudinally to lock and unlock the barrel, means fixed to the barrel embracing the tube and providing. fixed rotation limiting shoulders, means on the tube to abut said shoulders to limit the rotation of the tube, and releasable means to hold the tube from sliding from its unlocking position, in combination with a spline and groove connection between the first mentioned means and the tube to prevent the rotation ofthe tube when the tube is displaced longitudinally from its locking position.

11. A take-down firearm comprising a receiver, a barrel, a barrel locking magazine tube rotatable and slidable longitudinally to lock and unlock the barrel, means fixed to the barrel embracing the tube and roviding fixed rotation limiting 'shoul ers, means on the tube to abut said shoulders to limit the rotation of the tube, releasable means to prevent the rotation of the tube from its locking position, and releasable means to hold the tube from sliding from its unlocking position, in combination with a spline and groove connection between the first mentioned means and the tube to prevent the rotation of the tube when the tube is displaced longitudinally from its locking position.

12. A take-down firearm comprising a receiver, a barrel, a barrel locking'magazine tube rotatable and slidable longitudinally to lock and unlock the barrel, and releasable means to hold the tube from slidin from its unlocking position, in combination with means fixed to the barrel embracing the tube and provided with a spline and groove connection between the same and the magazine tube to prevent rotation of the tube when the tube is displaced longitudinally from its locking position.

13. A take-down firearm comprising a receiver, a barrel, a barrel locking magazine tube rotatable and slidable longitudinally to lock and unlock the barrel, in combination with means fixed to the barrel and provided with a spline and groove connection between the same and the tube to prevent rotation of the tube when the tube is displaced longitudinally from its locking position, and a lever on the magazine tube adapted when closed to engage said means to hold the tube so displaced.

14. A take-down firearm comprising a receiver, a barrel, a barrel locking magazine tube slidable longitudinally to lock and unlock the barrel, and means fixed to the barral embracing the tube, in combination with a lever pivoted to the tube and engaging with said means when the magazine is in unlocking position and the lever is closed against the outside of the tube to hold the tube in such position.

15. A take-down firearm comprising a receiver, a barrel, a barrel locking magazine tube slidable longitudinally to lock and unlock the barrel, and means fixed to the barral embracing the tube, in combination with a lever pivoted to said tube in front of said means and adapted to engage its rear end with said means when the magazine is in unlocking position and the lever is closed against the outside of the tube to hold the tube in such position.

16. A take-down firearm comprising a receiver, a barrel, a barrel locking magazine I tube, in combination with means fixed to the barrel embracing the tube and provided with a spline and groove connection with the tube to prevent the rotation of the tube when the tube is displaced longitudinally from its locking position.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

CHARLES A. NELSON. 

